Time To Make Land Use Plans

No matter if the Illiana Expressway or Westlake Rail Corridor extending South Shore rail service to Lowell and Valparaiso are built or not built, now is the time for Northwest Indiana to look at comprehensive land use plans to maximize the living conditions and economic development for the whole region, says the Northwest Indiana Quality of Life Council.

Writes Meg Haller, Northwest Indiana Quality of Life exec. director, in today's Post-Tribune:

So, speak your peace as you will regarding SB1. But do not miss the forest for the trees.

The time is now to learn how to capture the benefits of major infrastructure developments, such as the Illiana, while mitigating the risks to our three-county area's sustainable future.

The time is now to study, design and implement a comprehensive land-use plan.

Learning how to make the most of the infrastructure we have and plan to build might be the first step toward making Northwest Indiana a model for other communities across the nation. Maybe the debate about the Illiana Expressway will result on comprehensive planning within the various governmental agencies in the region so that we can think about protecting the past, as well as planning for the future.

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